1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the toy art and in particular to a toy vehicle mounted on a track for preselected movement relative thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toy vehicles and in particular track mounted toy vehicles have long been known in the prior art. For example, electric trains of the type in which electricity is provided through the tracks to a motor mounted in a toy electric train which rides on the tracks. The power is provided through a transformer which can vary the amount of power provided to the electric motor and therefore vary the speed of the electric train. Other track mounted toy vehicles have the power supply for example, batteries, contained within the toy vehicle and have controls for providing speed variations therein. Further, various track configurations such as curves, reverse curves, "X" sections, right-angle cross-sections, and the like, have long been known for such track mounted toy vehicles. Such track sections may be interconnected to define various predetermined pathways having preselected geometrical configurations.
In many track mounted toy vehicle arrangements, however, it is often desired to provide preselected movements of the track mounted toy vehicle including stopping, starting, change in direction, change in speed, and varying the time duration for each of the characteristics. That is, for example, having a variable pause or stop time, various rates of acceleration or deacceleration, maintaining various speeds for various times, and the like. Further, for any given geometrical configuration of the track, it has often been desired to provide a plurality of movement characteristic changes throughout the pathway defined by the track. That is, at various positions on the track, the toy vehicle movably mounted thereon undergoes one or more of the above mentioned movement characteristics and/or movement changes.
Additionally, in many track mounted toy vehicle configurations, the toy vehicle not only is reversible that is, the toy vehicle may go forwards and in the opposite direction as a reverse but also the toy vehicle may be placed on the track so that forward may be in either direction with respect to the track. In such applications, of course, it is desired that the toy vehicle still undergo the movement characteristic changes as above described at each preselected location regardless of which direction is forward and which direction is reverse with respect thereto.